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Youth Bureau Offers Summer Job Opportunities For Teens

Apr 24, 2012 1:00 PM

The Town of Southampton Youth Bureau will hold its 11th annual Job and Internship fair on Tuesday, May 15, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Hampton Bays Community Center.

The fair is open to high school and college students ages 16 to 25 looking for local opportunities in the medical, sports, clerical, wildlife and environmental, job training, financial, nutrition, hospitality and government fields. Businesses will have tables set up where representatives will answer questions about their organization, collect applications and talk to potential candidates.

Approximately 20 businesses from Riverhead and Southampton Town participate in the fair each year. Tracy Kolsin, the assistant director of the Southampton Youth Bureau, said in a phone interview that there are still spaces open for local business to participate. The benefit to employers of taking part in the job fair is that they avoid having to wait for applicants to apply on their own at their place of business, making the process of hiring much needed summer help quicker and easier.

Mr. Kolsin also gave some advice to would-be employees: “Dress professionally, as if you were going on a traditional job interview.” He said it gives the proper impression to employers, regardless of the company someone is applying to.

The Youth Bureau is also currently recruiting applicants for its Broader Horizons summer internship program. The program is open to 14- to 17-year-olds who reside in Southampton Town. The Youth Bureau is presently collecting applications from potential interns and will interview the candidates themselves. They then match up the teens that make the cut with the internship they think will suit them best.

This year, due to budgetary cuts, internships with only one company are being offered. However, Mr. Kolsin said the bureau is seeking companies to volunteer to be part of the program on their own. The experience can be rewarding for both the intern and the employer. He indicated that several past interns have stayed on past the six week program and become employees. The six week internship program will run from July 9 to August 17.